Optical appliance



July 12, 1938- G. H. WINGATE OPTICAL APPLIANCE Filed July 7. 1936 aemzdw vg g Patented July 12,1938

PATENT OFFICE amass:

or'rrcu. sermon Gerald Henry Wingate,,-London, England Application July 7, 1930, Serial No. 39,400 I In Great Britain July 23, 19:5

2 Claims. ((31.88-41) This invention relates to optical appliances.

It is an object of-the invention to provide an appliance which enables the wearer to view objects situated at a considerable angle to the direct line of vision whilst looking substantially in'the direct line of vision. It is thus an object of the invention to provide an appliance which enables the wearer, when lying on his back, to

view objects lying in a more or less horizontal direction without substantial downward movement of the eyes. I It is a further object of the invention to .provide an appliance comprising a wearing frame carrying an optical device whereby rays of light proceeding from objects to be viewed are passed to the eye of the wearer by double reflection,

one reflection occurring at the surface of a transparent member through which the rays enter the device.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide an appliance comprising a wearing frame carrying a prism having a mirrored side arranged to reflect rays from objects to be viewed back on to the side of the prism through which they en- 2s tered, at such angles that they are internally reflected to the eye of the wearer.

with these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved combinations and arrangements contained in the embodiments now to be described in detail, the novel features of which are set out in the claims which follow.

In the drawing: Figure l is a perspective view of the appliance, Figure 2 is a section on the line 11 of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a diagrammatic side elevation of part of theappliance in the position of normal use, and

Figure 4 is a similar elevation of a prism showing the passage of rays of light through it when a' certain condition is fulfilled.

The appliance comprises a frame I having a 50 which subtends the angle of'lO', is silveredand a black metal box or shield is provided having a portion 3 covering this side, portions I coveringthe two end faces, or bases, of the prism and a portion 4 extending downwardly in front.- e

55 The portion 4 of the shield is bulged forwardly,

as indicated at 'l, to receive the apex B of the prism, the Prism being retained within the shield by means of tabs 8 and fformed integrally with the portions 3 and 6 thereof respectively.

As shown, each eye frame 2 is so formed as to 5 provide grooves 2' and 2". The grooves 2' may serve for the reception of correcting lenses, for example, whilst the grooves 2" receive lugs ii formed integrally with the portions 6 of the shields and bent at right angles thereto. This 1 arrangement provides an adiustable mounting of the prisms which maybe adjusted by lateral sliding movements to suit users whose pupils are situated at different distances apart to provide maximum field for each such user.

In the use for which the spectacles are normally intended, the user lies in the completely supine position with the eyes directed normally to the face, that is in the direction of the ceiling and sees objects in the room in front of him 20 and reads matter held on, or at any rate sub- .stantially normal to, the chest.

Figure 3 shows approximately the-position of the prisms when being worn by a person in the supine position.

Raysirom the object DE entering the prism through the side face BC are refracted and pass to the siivered side AB, by which they are revenient angle, the downward movement of the 'tion of the image, but has the eflect or increasing or decreasing the extent of the eflective field in planes normal 'to'the users chest, and some selection of fleld with relation to the user's pupils can be made in this way. Adjustable hinges, (shown .at H in Figs. 1 and 2 and known in the trade as angling joints, 1. e. joints which allow the frame to be tilted) ma be provided, for ex- 2 mes es to that held, comprising e spectecle frame hava prism when this condition is seed is illustreted diagrammatically in Fig. i, in which the portion Ida of the central my it es parallel to the side AB of the p is.

The front portionsvi oi the shields cut ofl unwanted light co :1- ceiling and prevent such light entering the prisms at the small angles thereof. e portions 3 of the shields which cover the silvered sides protect the silvering end the portions s which cover the losses, or end feces, of the p, prevent the entry of light there.

I claim:

1. An appliance for diverting the direct-vision field of a. recumbent wearer to permit-normally direct vision ofohjects at s considerable -engle from the direction of the.

ing'grcoved eye-frames, a. pair of unequal sided triangular prisms, an opaque shield for each prism arranged to cover the side of intermediate size end the two bases thereof, means for securing said prisms each to itsshield, and members car ried by said shields and engaging said grooved eye-frames. L V

2. An appliance for diverting the direct-vision field of s. recumbent wearer to permit normally direct vision of objects at a considerable angle to that field, comprising e, wearing frame, a. grooved eye-frame, a four sided shield, lugs Kormed on two sides of'ssid shield and engaging said grooved eye-items end a prism carried by said shield. 

